Switch and detector-bar throwing mechanism.



I G. R. KBERAN. SWITCH AND DETECTOR BAR THROWING MECHANISM. A PPLIoATmNrum) FEB.19, 1908.

925,345. Patented June 15, 1909.

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G. R. KBERAN.

SWITGH AND DETECTOR BAR THROWING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1908.

Patented June 15, 1909.

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CHARLES R. KEERAN, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

SWITCH AND DETECTOR-BAR THROWING MECHANISM.

To all whom. it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. Kenn-AN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bloomington, in the county of McLean and tate of Illinois,have invented new and useful Improvements in Switch and Detector- BarThrowing lifechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mechanism for throwing the points of arailroad switch and the detector bar and relates more particularly to amechanism of this character designed to be controlled by a suitableelectrical apparatus.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify theconstruction and operation of mechanisms of the nature referred to so asto be comparatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture and install,thoroughly reliable and efficient in use, and readily manipulated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a motordrivendevice for actuating the switch point and the detector bar, the saiddevice being so designed as to actuate the detector bar a suitableperiod in advance of the actuation of the switch points.

Another object is the employment, in connection with the actuatingdevice, of an au tomatically operated lock for holding the switch pointsfrom movement during the initial part of the movement of the detectorbar for effecting the cooperative relation of the switch points and bar.

A still further object is to provide a motor for driving the throwing oractuating device, in combination with a clutch for automaticallyconnecting and disconnecting the motor and device at the limits of themovement of the latter in both directions.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of an electriccircuit for the motor which includes an operator switch for reversingthe connections of the motor to reversely operate the switch anddetector bar throwing device, said circuit including automatic switchescontrolled by the movement of the said throwing do ice to open thecircuit when the switch and detector bar are fully thrown.

ffith these and other objects in view, as will appear as the descriptionproceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully describedhereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appendedhereto.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 19, 1908.

Patented June 15, 1909.

Serial No. 416,741.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one of the embodiments ofthe invention, Figure l is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus. Fig. 2is a View of the actuating or throwing device for the switch anddetector bar. Fig. 3 is a section on line 33, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the lock for holding the switch set. Fig. 5 is aperspective view of one of the cams for moving the said lock.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate correspondingparts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 are operating rods which arerespectively connected in any approved manner with the switch points anddetector bar (not shown). These rods are actuated by the throwing dovice designated generally by A, said device being operated by a motor Mthat is operatively connected thereto through anautomatically-controlled clutch B. The device A comprises a Wheel 3mounted to rotate on the axle or shaft i, Figs. 2 and 3, and provided inits periphery with worm teeth 5. Meshing with the teeth is a worm 6provided on the shaft 7 that is located in alinement with the shaft 8 ofthe motor. On the opposed ends of the shafts are clutch elements 9 and10 which are formed respectively with one or more recesses 11 and teeth12. The element 10 is feathered to the shaft 7 by the feather 13 so thatthe tooth 12 can be engaged with or disengaged from the recess 11, andthe engagement and disengagement is effected by a lever 14 pivoted at1-5 and provided with a forked extremity 16 that engages in a peri)heral groove 17 in the said element. The lever may be operated in anysuitable manner, and in the present instance is moved in one directionby an electromagnet 18 whose armature 19 is mounted on the lever. Therecess 11 and tooth 12 are so shaped that the element 10 will be thrownout of engagement with the element 9 when the electro magnet isdenergized and the motor M reversed, and as long as the electro magnetis energized, the clutch elements will be engaged so that motion will betransmitted to the wheel 3 from the motor shaft.

The wheel 3 of the actuating or throwing device A serves as a commonactuator for the rods 1 and 2, and the connections between the latterand wheel are so designed as to permit a certain lag in the movement ofthe rod 1 for throwing the switch with respect to the movement of therod 2 for throwing the detector bar. On the wheel 3 is a crank pin 20disposed in a line extending diametrically of the wheel and locatedcentrally between. the extremities of the toothed portion of the wheel,and connected with this crank pin is a pitman 21 that has its outerextremity connected with the rod 2 by a bell crank lever 22 or othersuitable means. Also mounted. on the crank pin is a link 23 that carriesa crank pin 24 to which is connected a pitman 25 that has its outerextremity hingedly connected at 26 with the switch-throwing rod 1. Byconnecting the rods 1 and 2 to the wheel 3 in this manner, the latterrod will be given a continuous movement during the turning of the wheel3, while the rod 1 is held stationary for a certain period. during theinitial part of the movement of the wheel in either direction, therebypermitting the detector bar to be fully raised before any movement ofthe switch points takes place. During the independent movement of therod 2, the rod 1 will be held stationary by a locking device C to behereinafter more fully described.

To explain the movement of the parts more in detail, let it be assumedthat the worm shaft is clutched to the motor and the wheel 3 driven in aclockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 1. As the rod 1 islocked stationary, the pitman 25 will be pre vented from moving so thatthe secondary crank pin 24 will be relatively fixed, so that therotation of the wheel 3 will carry the crank pin 20 upwardly and impartlongitudinal movement to the pitman 21, and the link 23 turns about asecondary crank pin 24 as a pivot. After the wheel has moved a suit abledistance, say about one quarter of a revolution, the locking device Cwill be released so as to permit the continued. movement of the wheel 3to simultaneously actuate the switchthrowing rod 1. At the end of themovement of the wheel, the locking device C is again automaticallyengaged to hold the rod stationary so as to lock the switch in eitheropen or closed position. In order to throw the detector bar and switchin reverse direction, the motor will obviously be reversed so as to turnthe wheel in an anti clockwise direction with the result that the rods 1and 2 will be returned to their former positions, the rod 2 moving inadvance of the rod 1 in the same manner already described.

The locking device C for holding the switch in either open or closedposition consists of an extension 27 on the rod 1 that is disposedadjacent the periphery of the wheel 3 and has spaced notches 28 and 29.Cooperating with the notched extension or member 27 is a latch or detent30 pivoted at 31 and provided at its free extremity with a laterallyextending lug or nose 32, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, said nose beingarranged to engage in either one of the notches 28 or 29 when the switchis in one extreme position or the other. On the l'ree end of the pivotedmember 30 is a roller 33 arranged in the path of cams 34 and 35 disposedat diametrically opposite points on the Wheel 3, whereby the cams causethe nose 32 of the member 30 to be positively engaged in one of thenotches of the extension 27 when the wheel has reached the end of itsmovement. To assist in this engagement of the nose in either of therecesses and to hold the nose so engaged during the independent movementof the detector bar operating rod 2, a spring 36, Fig. 2, is arranged topress on the latch or detent 30 to hold it in locking position. At theproper period, the detent 30 is released so as to permit the rod 1 to beactuated, and this is e'fl'ected by a cam 37 formed on a block 38 whichis bolted or otherwise secured to the wheel 3 at a point midway betweenthe earns 34 and 35, the cam 37 being so arranged as to engage theroller 33 at a point opposite from where it is engaged by the cams 34and 35 so as to move the dctent 30 away from the extension 27 and thusdisengage the nose 32 from the notch of such extension. The cam 37 isbeveled at each extremity 39 so as to effectively release the detentduring the forward and reverse movement of the wheel 3.

The motor M in the present instance is an electric motor of any approvedtype and is supplied from a suitable source of electromotive force suchas a battery 40, there being included in the electric circuit ahand-operated switch D, whereby the towerman or other operator cancontrol the connections of the motor from a more or less remote pointfor the purpose of actuating the switch and detector bar. The switch Dcomprises a lever 41 pivoted at 42 and provided with a grip 43, and onthe lever 01' blade are separate contact or bridging pieces 44 and 45insulated from each other and from the lever. Connected with the lever41 is a tappet bar 46 which runs to a locking board of standard type.Cooperating with the bridging piece 45 are two sets of separatedcontacts 47 and 48 so arranged that when the bridging piece is engagingone set, the circuits will be such as to cause the motor to rotate inone direction and that when the bridging piece ongages the other set,the motor will be driven in the opposite direction, while cooperatingwith the bridging piece 44 is a set of contacts 49. The contacts 49 areconnected with the wire 50 leading from the battery 40 to the fieldterminal 51 of the motor, and between the other field terminal 52 is awire 53 that leads to the other side of the battery and includes thecontacts 47 and also a resistance 1" which is used to prevent excessivecurrent flowing through the field coils of the motor when current is notpassing through the ar mature. Connected with the wires 50 between thebattery and contacts 49 is a wire ceases 54: which includes the contacts48 and this wire is also connected with the wire 53. Included in thewire 50 is an electro magnet 55 having its armature 56 connected incircuit with the electro magnet 18, so that when the electro magnet 55is energized, the armature 56 will engage the contact 57 so that currentwill pass from the battery through the wire 50, armature 56, contact 57,wire 58, (which includes the electro-magnet 18), motor armature terminal59, winding of the armature, armature terminal 60, and wire 61 whichconnects with the opposite side of the battery. As the current passesthrough the electro magnet 18, the lever 14 will be actu ated so ts toclutch the motor M to the worm shaft 7. In order to open the motorcircuit automatically when the track switch and detector bar are thrown,separate switches 62 and 63 are arranged so as to be opened respectivelyby lingers 64 and 65 on the wheel 3 when the latter reaches the limit ofits stroke in either direction. lV hen the switch 62 is opened it breaksthe continuity of the conductor 50, and when the switch 63 is opened,current is prevented from flowing through. the conductor 58 so that theelectro magnet 18 will be deenergized for permitting the shaft 7 to beautomatically unclutched from the motor shaft, the conductor 58 beingprovided with branch 58 which cooperates with. the switch 63. Theswitches 62 and 63 are normally held in closed position by spring 66 orequivalent means and the armature 56 is so arranged. as to be normallyout of contact with the contact 57. Included in each wire 50 and 5 isfuse 67 arranged in series with a resistance 68 and shunting eachresistance and fuse is an incandescent lamp 69 or equivalent signal, thelamps being arranged preferably adjacent the lever so as to be within inconvenient view of the operator while manipulating the switch D, The resistances 68 cause the lamps to glow dimly when current is ilo ing inthe normal operation of the apparatus. In case the fuse in shunt witheither lamp should blow, the lamp would receive suilicient current tocause it to glow brightly, thereby warning the op erator ol thecondition of the circuit, so that he can correct it.

The operation ol' the apparatus will be brielly described as follows. ilhen the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, no current is passingthrough the electric circuits and the tract: switch is loclred in eitheropen or closed position. ll hen it is desired to reverse the position01' the track switch and detector bar, the switch l) is thrown by theoperator so as to bring the bridging pieces 44 and into engagement withthe contacts 49 and 4.7, respectively. Current then liows from thebattery through the wire which includes the contacts 49, lamp 69 andfuse 67 in parallel, electro magnet and switch 62,

to the terminal 51 013' the motor, thence through the field oi thelatter, terminal 52, and back to the battery through the wire 53 whichincludes the resistance 1" and contact l7. This flow ojl'currentenergizes the electro magnet 55 so that the armature 56 will bebrought into engagement with the contact 57 and thereby connect thearmature of the motor in shunt relation with the field-containingcircuit. The motor is thus started and simultaneously the electro magnet18 operates the clutch B so as to connect the motor shaft with the wormshalt 7. The throwing mechanism A is thus brought into operation and asthe wheel 3 rotates in a clockwise direction, the finger 6 1 finallyengages the switch 62 so as to open the circuit by the latter and causethe electro magnet 18 to become denergized, whereupon the shalt 7 willbe automatically unclutched 'lrom the motor shaft 8, due to the factthat the rotation of the armature under its momentum will cause theelement 10 to be disengaged from the element 9 oi the clutch, since therecess 11 and teeth 12 are so shaped as to produce a cam effect forreleasing the clutch under these circumstances. In order to re turn thetrack switch and detector bar to initial position, the operator throwsthe switch l) to the full line position shown in 1, whereupon currentpasses from the battery 4.6 through a portion of the wire 50, wire 54including the contacts 4-8 and its signal lamp 693, fuse 67 in parallel,wire field terminal 52, field winding lor the motor. terminal 51, wire50, switch 63, wire 5 electro magnet 18, motor armature terminal 59,armature winding of the motor, armature terminal 66, and wire 61, whichleads back to the battery. It is to be noted that the current passesthrough the held in. reverse direction so that the armature will rotatein a direction opposite from that previously described, in order thatthe wheel 3 will be ro tated in an anti-cloclcwise manner until themotor circuit is opened by the linger opening the switch 63.

From the foregoing description, tahen in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and ol the in.thod of operation will be readily apparent to those sliilled in the artto which the invention appertains, and while I have described theprinciple of operation oi the invention, together with the amiaratuswhich. I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire tohave it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, andthat such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope oithe claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. 'lhe combinationof a switch-throwing element, a detector-bar actuating element, amechanism for operating the elements, a mo tor, and automaticallyactuated means for connecting and disconnecting the mechanism with themotor, said means comprising a clutch including a movable element, alever for actuating the element, an electro magnet arranged to operatethe lever, and means for simultaneously closing the magnet and mo torcircuit.

2. l he combination of a rotary element, a switch throwing element,means connecting the elements together, a worm gearing for driving therotary element, a reversible motor, an electrically actuated clutch forconnecting the motor with the gearing, a controlling switch forreversing the motor, switches for automatically opening the motorcircuit when the rotary element has reached the limit of its movement ineither direction, a locking device arranged adjacent the rotary element,and cams arranged on the rotary element to lock and unlock the saiddevice.

3. The combination of a rotary element, a crank pin eccentricallymounted thereon, a member connected directly with the crank pin foractuation thereby, a link carried solely by the crank pin and of lesslength than the distance between the crank pin and axis of the rotaryelement, a member connected with the free end of the link to be actuated thereby, and a locking device automatically released and set bythe movement of the rotary element for preventing the second member frommoving until after the first member is actuated.

4. The combination of an operating element, a motor-driven rotatablemember con nected therewith, a locking device for the element, and camson the member for mov ing the device into and out of locking position.

5. The combination of an operating ele ment, a rotatable member, meansconnecting the member with the element for actuating the latter, apivoted locking device arranged to engage the element,spaced cams on themember for engaging the device and moving the same into lockingengagement with the element when the member is in either of its extremepositions, and cams on the member between the first-mentioned cams andarranged with the latter in an arc of a circle around the center of themember for releasing the locking device.

6. The combination of a switclnthrowing element, a detector-baractuating element, a rotatable member, and connections between theelements and member for actuating the elements one before the other,with a motor, driving means between the motor and member, said meansincluding a clutch, a lever for moving the clutch, an electro-magnet formoving the lever in a direction to close the clutch, means for reversingthe motor, a circuit for the electro-magnet, separate switches tendingconstantly to close and included in the said circuit, and devices on therotatable member for openin the said switches respec tively as themember reaches the end of its movement.

7. The combination of a svvitcl'i-throwing element, a detector-baractuating element, a.

rotatable member, gear teeth extending partly around the periphery ofthe member, a gear meshing with the teeth connections between theelements and member for actuating the elements one before the other, oneof the connections being located on the said member in a line passingradially through the middle of the teeth on such member, and a motoroperatively related to the gear for moving the member in one directionor the other. i

8. he combination oi a switch-throwing element, a detector-bar actuatingelement, a member mounted to turn alternately in opposite directions, anaxle for the member, a crank pin disposed. parallel with the axle andconnecting the second element with the member, a link hingedly connectedwith the crank pin, and a pin carried by the link and disposed. parallelwith the axle for connecting the firstunentioned element also with thecrank for actuation by the latter.

9. The combination of separate elements, a member mounted to movealternately in opposite directions, means for connecting one element tothe member to move throughout the entire period of movement of thelatter, a pin on one of the elements, a pin on the other elem nt, and alink between the pins and attached thereto for connecting the otherelement to the member to move during only a portion of the period ofmovement of the member, with a motor, controllable driving connectionsbetween the motor and said member, electrical means for controlling thesaid connections, means for reversing the motor, a circuit for theelectrical means, separate switches in the said circuit, devices on themember for opening the switches independently, and anelectro-magnetically actuated circuit closer for connecting the saidelectrical means in circuit when one of the said switches is open andthe other closed.

10. The combination of separate switch and detector-bar actuatingelements, a member mounted for oscillatory movement, means forconnecting one of the elements directly to the member, means forconnecting the other element with the member for movement by the latterafter the directly connected element has completed part of its movement,a locking device for holding the one element stationary during themovein out of he other elemen t, said device having a projectingportion, oppositely-disposed cams spaced apart on the said oscillatorymember for engaging one side of the projecting portion to move thelocking device in one direction, and additional cams arranged on theoscillatory member between the first mentioned cams to engage the otherside of the projecting portion of the said locking device to move thelatter in the opposite direction.

11. The combination of separate switch and detector-bar actuatingelements, a member mounted for oscillatory movement, a shaft for themember, a crank pin on the member eccentric to the shaft and to whichone elem out is connected, a link on the crank pin to move therewith asthe member turns, and means for connecting the other element udth thelink.

12. The combination of separate switch and detector-bar actuatingelements, a member mounted for oscillatory movement, a crank pin on themember and to which one element is connected, a link on the crank pin,means for connecting the other element with the link, and a lockingdevice for the element connected with the link.

13. The combination of separate switch and detector-bar actuatingelements, a member mounted for oscillatory movement, a crank pin on themember and to which one element is connected, a link on the crank pin,means for connecting the other element with the link, a locking devicefor the element connected with the link, and means carried by the memberfor releasing the locking device.

14. The combination of a switch and detector-bar actuating mechanismincluding a worm wheel, a shaft provided with a worm meshing with thewheel, a motor, a clutch between the shaft and motor, an electromagnetconnected in series with the armature of the motor for actuating theclutch, a manually controlled switch for reversing the motor, andautomatically actuated switches for opening the circuit of theelectro-magnet when the wheel reaches the limit of its movement ineither direction.

15. The combination of a rotary element, a crank-pin thereon, a detectorbar actuating member connected with the crank pin, a switch actuatingmember, an actuating means between the last mentioned member and crankpin for permitting the first member to move before the second, a lockingdevice for holding the second member stationary during the initial partof the movement of the first member, means for rotating the element backand forth, a reversible motor, a clutch device between the lastmentioned means and motor, an electro-magnet controlling the clutch,automatically actuated switches for cutting the electro-magnet out ofcircuit, and devices turning with the element for opening each switchwhen the element reaches the limit of its movement in either direction.

16. The combination of a rotary element having gear teeth extending partway around the periphery thereof, a worm meshing with the teeth, areversible motor, a clutch for connecting the worm with the motor, adetector bar actuating member connected with the element, a switchthrowing member, a connection between the two members for permitting thefirst to move before the sec end, a locking device for the secondmember, two cams on the element for locking the said device and two camslocated intermediate the first for unlocking the device, and meanscontrolling the clutch for opening the same when the element has reachedthe end of its movement in either direction.

17. The combination of a mechanism for actuating a switch and detectorbars, said mechanism including a movable element, a reversible motor foractuating the element, a clutch device between the element and motor, anelectro-magnet controlling the clutch, a pair of switches arranged toopen the circnit of the electro-magnet when the element reaches thelimit of its movement in either direction, an electro-magneticallyactuated switch for connecting the electro-magnet initially in circuit,and a manually controlled switch for reversing the motor connections.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES R. KEERAN.

Witnesses THOMAS ToBIN, JOHN CARE.

